Clamping mechanism



HAWQWZ Sept. 18 1923.

F. c. BECKER CLAMPING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 5, 1922 2 Sheets-5mm 1 INVENTOR mmw Sept. 18

F. c. BECKER CLAMPING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 5. 1922 2 she etwsheef s Z FIELE.

Patented Sept. l8, l ll.

Ps rer n f FAQ est FIR-ED G. BECKER, F JEANNETTE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSl-ZGNOR TO, EVESTMGRELAHD SEECIAL'I'Y CQHPANY, 0F GRAPEVIL'LE, PENNSYLVANIh, A GORPOEATION OF FENNSYLVANIA.

CLAIv'IPING MECHANISM.

Application filed. January 5, 1922. Serial No. 527,191..

T 0 all whom it may concern- Be it known that 1, Free C. BECKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Jeannette, in the county of \Vestmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clamping Mechanism, of which the followin is a specification.

lvly invention relates to the art of grinda glass articles or other pressed or molded e m nt-s for the purpose of rapidly and economically reducing the faces thereof to a smooth surface. The invention consists of a machine or apparatus designed to be utilized in connection with a grinding wheel, whereby to hold the article being operated or in fixed relation to the face of the wheel during an operative period. The invention is particularly adapted to the grinding of the face of pressed glass knobs or the like.

In the drawings,

1 is a view in sectional elevation showing a grinding wheel utilizing the invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial plan view thereof;

3 is an enlargedsect-ional detail view showing holding mechanism and the grinding wheel;

l 4c is an enlarged sectional detail view showing the clamping mechanism for the knob, with the latter in position; I

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the clamping jaws open; and

Fig. 6 is a cross section on the line VL-Vl of Fig. 5.

The invention consists in providing an improved clamp device, and guiding'means therefor, adapted to fixedly hold and press by gravitation the unit being operated upon, as a glass knob (4., against the upper face of a rotatable grinding wheel 2. The latter is suitably mounted at its centralnportion 3 in rotative operative engagement with actuating gearing receiving its driving power by shalt 'from an engine or other prime mover of well known construction. The grinding wheel 2 is mounted within a supportingv frame. 5 with a suitable water supply and surplus collecting trough 6,.while above the wheel are one or more rotatably mounted ware-holding wheels 7. The latter are suitably geared by their shafts 8 and intervening gearing 9 with an upwardly extending shaft 10 of wheel 2, whereby to positively rotate wheels 7 during operatlon of the grindthe operative relation between the.

press the ware unit it against the upper surface of wheel 2. V The clamp for holding the unit, shown in detail on the second sheet. of the drawings,

is composed of a holding frame in the form of a ring or cylinder 13 having a transverse integral middle web portion 1%, the lower central portion of which is open or socketed for clearance of the inner crown portion of the unit. ltjis also centrally'apertured as at 15, and a rubber disl; 16 is inserted. as shown, providing a resilient or cushioned bearing for the inwardly extending middle portion of the knob.

Cylinder 13 is radially slotted at four cqui-distant locations, as indicated at 17, and a series of four clamping arms 18 are pivotally mounted at 19 in such slots, for the purpose of providing opening and closing action for the arm terminals. The outer terminals or" arms 18 are provided with gripping end portions 20 adapted to tightly cmbrace the annular edges of the knob a when tightened thereon, depending on the strength of the spring 31, as in Fig. 4:. The inner faces of the gripping terminals 20 are abruptly inclined so as to embrace the were a and wedge it backwardly against the cushioning disk 16. The resiliency of the cushion tends to compensate for inequalities in the ware units, and thus co-operates with the wedging action of the gripping terminals. The outer portions of the arms are brought together for such tightening, or opened for release, as in Fig. 5, by the action of toggle arms 21. The latter are pivoted at 22 to the upperends of arms 18 and at their inner ends, at 23, to lateral lugs on the inner end of a ring 2 L. a

Ring 21- is slidably mounted around a tubular stem 25 which is fixedly connected at its inner end with the middle hub portion 14- of cylinder 18, as by riveting at 26. A central stem 27 having an outer knob or disk terminal 28 telescopically interfits normally thrust stem 27 outwardly to hold the clamping arms in operative engagement with the unit a, as in Fig. 4. inward pressure of stem 27 against the sprmg acts-to thrust ring 24% inwardly and to draw the upper ends of arms 18 inwardly by links 21, throwing the clamping terminals out wardly for release or insertion of the unit,

as inEig. 5.

The construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood and appreciated from the foregoing description. It provides-for easy and rapid placing and removal or" the units to be ground in operative relation to the grinding wheel, it being understood that a large number of the clamps are to be 'used at the sametime, with: a corresponding number of receiving thimbles. 12 and openings therefor in one or more of the rotatable guide wheels 7. Thus, upon removing a finished unit from any one of the thimbles,another one with its clamp is replaced therein and operated upon by the grinding wheel 2, during such time as the other clamps are being removed and replaced.

The construction of the invention'is conipar'atively simple and it is capable of use without requiring skilled labor-or attention, and W111 continuously operate 1n the manner lntended with-the highest eiiiciency as to regularity and uniformity of grinding.

"centrally recessed bottom for reception at a wareunit and a series of longitudinal radial slots, a plurality of grasping arms ,pivotally mounted in said slots and having inwardly sloping terminals adapted to engage aware unit to hold it in the recessed bottom,- a tubular stem extending centrally ,above the cylindrical body, a sleeve slidably mounted thereon, toggle links connecting the arms with said sleeve, and a stem centrally mounted within the tubular stem con nected with the sleeve and provided with an operating terminal.

2. A clamp of the class described .con-. 7

sisting of a cylindrical body portion having a centrally recessed bottom for reception of a ware unit and a series of longitudinal radial slots, a plurality of grasping arms pivotally mounted in said slots and having inwardly sloping terminals adapted to engage a ware unit to hold it in the recessed bottom, a tubular stem extending centrally above the cylindrical body and having a longitudinal slot through opposite sides, a sleeve slidably mounted on the tubular stem having toggle links connecting the sleeve with the upper ends of the grasping arms, an actuatingstem within the tubular stem raving a cross pin extending through the slots therein and engaging the sleeve and provided with a terminal member, and a retracting sprin for the actuating stem.

3. In a ware holding clamp for av grinding machine, the combination-with a cylindrical guide bushing, of a cylindrical ware holding clamp reciprocably mounted there in having'a centrally recessed bottom for reception of a ware unit, a central slotted tube extending upwardlytherefrom, a sleeve slidably mounted thereon, an actuating stem within the 'tubeconnectediwith the sleeve through the slotted tubeand provided with a threaded terminal, an outer knob threaded thereon, an" abutment within the tube, asp ring between said abutment'and the knob, a plurality of longitudinal 'pivoted gripping arms arranged in receiving slots in the outer periphenl portion of the clamp provided with inner inclined wedging and gripping terminals, and links connecting the other ends of said arms withsthe sleeve. 4. In a ware holding clamp for agrind ing machine, the combination :With a cylin drical guide bushing, of a cylindrical ware holding clamp reciprocably mounted therein having a centrally recessed bottom-for reception of a ware unit, a central slotted tube extending upwardtherefrom, a sleeve slit ably mounted thereon, an actuating stem 7 ed thereon, an abutment within .the tube,

a spring. between saidabutment and the mob, a plurality of longitudinal pivoted.

gripping arms arranged in receiving slots in the outer peripheral portion of the clamp provided with 'inner cinclined wedging and gripping terminals, linksrconnecting the other ends of said arms with the, sleeve, and a resilient disk of cushioning material inserted in the centrally recessed bottom.

. In testimony signature.

whereof I hereunto .afiiX my rann o. Bremen. V 

